Legend says that Kambu Swayambhuva was a learned prince who had initially been an Indian king. He had ventured into the far East and entered an area having jungles that was being ruled by a king of the Naga people. Defeating their king, Kambu married the princess, Mera, and developed the land into a fertile and flourishing country. The combination of Kambu and Mera names is said to have given rise to the name Khmer (Kambu + Mera =Khmer) according to George Coedes.[1]

Kambu Swayambhuva is claimed to be the eponym of the Kambojas of who he is the ancestor with his wife Mera, who was given to him by Shiva.[2] Princes of Kambodia expressly state themselves as Kambujas and to have descended from the lineage of Kambu.

Numerous Muslim writings of mediaeval era spell the Kamboj clan name as Kambu as well as Kambo. Obviously, these Kambu/Kambo terms are the corrupted forms of Kambuj/Kamboj and relate to the Kamboja of ancient Sanskrit and Pali texts and Inscriptions.[original research?] This Sanskrit Kamboja appears as K.b.u.ji.i.y, Kabujiya or perhaps Kabaujiya/Kaboujiya and Kambujiya or perhaps Kambaujiya ( OR with -n- in place of -m- as Kanbujiya or Kanbaujiya) of Old Persian inscriptions, and Cambyses of Greek writings. The same name appears as C-n-b-n-z-y in Aramaic, Kambuzia in Assyrian, Kambythet in Egyptian, Kam-bu-zi-ya or Ka-am-bu-zi-ya in Akkadian, Kan-bu-zi-ia or Kan-bu-si-ya in Elamite, and Kanpuziya in the Susan language (cf: Ancient Kamboja in Iran and Islam, p 69, Dr H. W. Bailey).